The present invention relates to a high chair, and more particularly, to a high chair having a frame with rollers that allow the high chair to be rolled along a surface such as a floor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a high chair having a retractable roller assembly.
High chairs are often used by caregivers to provide a convenient place for a juvenile to sit. To enable a high chair to be mobile, a high chair may be mounted on rollers to allow the high chair to be rolled along the floor. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,421,636 to Gamble.
According to the present invention, a juvenile high chair includes a frame having a front frame member with opposite front feet, a back frame member pivotably coupled to the front frame member, and a seat. A retractable roller assembly is coupled to each of the front feet. Each retractable roller assembly includes a bracket pivotably coupled to the respective front foot and a roller coupled to the bracket. The retractable roller assembly allows the high chair to be rolled along a surface such as a floor upon the rollers when the seat of the high chair is unoccupied. However, when the seat is occupied by a juvenile, the bracket pivots to allow the roller to retract into a cavity formed in each front foot. In this position, the front foot engages the floor so that friction between the front foot and the floor blocks the roller from rolling along the floor.
In preferred embodiments, the high chair also includes a plate that prevents the high chair from bouncing as it rolls along the rollers. The plate preloads the bracket to a position that prevents the roller from retracting into the cavity until a downward force greater than that of the weight of the chair is applied to the high chair.
The high chair frame also has two back feet spaced apart from the two front feet. When the high chair is unoccupied (i.e., there is no juvenile sitting in the high chair), the back feet rest securely on the floor and the front feet ride a few inches above the floor on the rollers. To move the unoccupied high chair, a caregiver can raise the back legs of the high chair off the floor and roll the high chair on the rollers mounted to the front feet. When the caregiver has positioned the high chair in the desired location, the caregiver can lower the back feet back down to the floor and place a juvenile into the high chair. The weight of the juvenile causes the frame of the high chair to move downwardly. Because the rollers on the front feet are retractable, the rollers retract into the cavities formed in the front feet so that the front feet rest on the floor and the rollers are hidden from view.
In other embodiments, retractable rollers are coupled to the rear feet in addition to the front feet. The rollers on the rear feet include caster wheels and the rollers on the front feet include caster wheels or bidirectional wheels.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention exemplifying the best mode of carrying out the invention as presently perceived.